Team Hoyt

This week's 2^nd Wind blog story might amaze you.  It's father and son duo, Team Hoyt, composed of Dick and Rick Hoyt who together have competed in countless marathons and triathalons.  What makes this story so remarkable is that Rick has cerebral palsy, and during competition Dick pulls Rick in a special boat as they swim, carries him in a special seat in the front of a bicycle, and pushes him in a special wheelchair as they run!

Rick was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth after his umbilical cord became twisted around his neck, which caused the blockage of oxygen flow. As a result, his brain cannot send the correct messages to his muscles. Even though many doctors encouraged the Hoyts to institutionalize Rick, his parents held on to the hope that Rick would function normally since his eyes would follow them around the room.

Team Hoyt

Team Hoyt began in 1977 when Rick became inspired by an article on racing he saw in a magazine. Dick Hoyt was not a runner and was nearly 37 years old. After their first race Rick said, “Dad, when I’m running, it feels like I’m not handicapped.”
As of April 2013, the Hoyts had competed in 1,077 endurance events, including 70 marathons and six Ironman triathlons. Adding to their list of achievements, Dick and Rick biked and ran across the U.S. in 1992, completing a full 3,735 miles in 45 days.
They also compete in triathlons. For the swim portion of the triathlon, Dick uses a rope attached to his body to pull Rick sitting in a boat. For the cycle portion, Rick rides on the front of a specially designed tandem bike. For the run portion, Dick pushes Rick in his wheelchair.

Rick turns 51 in 2013 and Dick 73. As they speak and travel more, they are racing less. At the beginning of their career, they participated in 50 races per year but now aim for 20-25 races per year. They still say they don't see an end in sight yet.
Team Hoyt gives hope, encouragement, and inspiration to thousands. 
Together, they have caught a 2^nd Wind and they are helping others catch one as well.